Uttarakhand Unrest: 500 Face Charges as Chamoli District Simmers in Tension.

Uttarakhand: Communal Tension gripped Chamoli District as Police Filed Cases Against 500 ‘Unidentified’ Persons.

The Hindutva protesters demanded verification of all individuals residing in the area without proper documentation and called for action against alleged illegal encroachments on land by Muslim residents.

Upendra Bharti | HENB | Dehradun |  | Sept 3, 2024:: Tensions ran high in Uttarakhand’s Chamoli district after Hindutva groups organized a procession in Gopeshwar town, following incidents of violence targeting Muslim-owned shops at Nandghat on Sunday. In response, the district administration has enforced Section 163 of the Bhartiya Nagrik Suraksha Sanhita 2023, effectively banning assemblies of four or more individuals, similar to the earlier provisions of Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC). The protesters demanded verification of all individuals residing in the area without proper documentation and called for action against alleged illegal encroachments on land by Muslim residents.

Police  have filed a case against 300 unidentified individuals for their alleged involvement in the attack, vandalism, and looting of Muslim-owned shops at Nandghat. Additionally, a separate case has been registered against 200 unidentified persons for causing damage to a makeshift mosque in the area.

On Sunday, tensions flared in Nandghat market, near Nandprayag in Chamoli district, following allegations of inappropriate behaviour towards a minor girl by a Muslim youth who operated a barber shop in the area. The girl’s father had previously filed a complaint with the police, as the accused individual had reportedly fled. However, the situation escalated when a group of protesters, allegedly affiliated with Hindutva organizations, gathered and vandalized at least seven Muslim-owned shops in the market, also damaging a makeshift mosque and several Muslim-owned vehicles. The protesters had been chanting provocative slogans targeting the Muslim community. The protesters, reportedly affiliated with Hindutva groups, were seen reacting angrily to alleged incidents of harassment targeting Hindu residents in the area, particularly women and girls from the Hindu community.

According to reports, a group of Muslims sought refuge at the local police station on Sunday to escape the wrath of the angry mob. Meanwhile, some others found shelter with their neighbors. In a bid to ensure their safety, most Muslim women and children were evacuated to Srinagar Garhwal on the night of September 3. This information was provided by Nayyar Kazmi, president of the Uttarakhand unit of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), who is based in Roorkee, Haridwar.

“Nayyar Kazmi, president of the Uttarakhand unit of All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM), informed reporters that they have requested a meeting with the Uttarakhand Director General of Police (DGP) to brief him on the situation faced by Muslims in Chamoli district and seek his intervention.

On Tuesday, the Nandghat market remained closed for the third consecutive day as some traders and groups affiliated with Hindutva organizations enforced a shutdown. They are demanding the arrest of additional individuals allegedly involved in the eve-teasing case, alongside Arif Khan, who was already taken into custody by police from Bijnore. The groups are calling for the arrest of Shahid, Ahmed Hasan, and Ayub, whom they claim were accomplices in the incident. Meanwhile, Darshan Bharati, a leader known for his controversial speeches, arrived in Nandghat on September 2 and addressed a gathering of local residents.

A procession was held by groups affiliated with Hindutva ideology in Gopeshwar town, commencing at Ramlila Ground and concluding at the local bus stand. Participants recited the ‘Hanuman Chalisa’ and called for police verification of all individuals residing in the district without proper documentation. In response to the tensions, senior police officials, including District Police Chief Sarvesh Panwar, have deployed a significant police presence in the area and are currently camping there to maintain order.”

Hindutva groups have vehemently opposed the  probable police action against individuals affiliated with Hindutva, who participated in a protest denouncing the perceived rise of Muslim influence in the area.
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__Inputs from Agencies.